Lay it on the Line : Prodigal book one

Chapter Nine

Chapter 9

New Iberia, Louisiana

Spring 1995

Four years later

The late-night streets of New Iberia were quiet and calm. A low humid fog hung over the orange street lamps as the roads were slick with the dew. The traffic lights slowly switched from red to green and the only thing that stirred was a lone sheriff k-9 patrol car. The window of the car rolled down and the officer's hand came to rest on the side of the door, along with his voice. "Mama, just killed a man, put a gun against his head, pulled my trigger, now he's dead...." He sang along loudly with the radio blaring as his dark hair and dark eyes watched the road ahead. The dog in the cage behind the man sat up to sniff the fresh air

"Mama, life had just begun, but now I've gone and thrown it all away" His Louisiana, New Iberia Sheriff badge and Name tag with "Simoneaux" written in bold black letters caught a glint of the next red light. He stopped and continued to sing along with the radio.

"Mama, ooo.... Didn't mean to make you cry if I'm not back again this time tomorrow carry on..." He was interrupted by the radio as the dispatcher yelling over the com.

"510, come in!" She spoke in a harsh and annoyed tone. Each officer was assigned a call number, or badge number. This number was for the dispatcher and other deputies to call them over the radio with.

"510..." The officer picked up the radio.

"511, needs your assistance on Main street by the Chevron." The dispatcher clicked off, so he could speak.

"Oh man, Sean?" He shook his head a bit before clicking the button to talk.

"10-4" Johnny put his lights on and blew through the red light turning up the radio. "Awe man!" A disappointed look spread across his face as he raced down the two-lane road.

"I missed the main highlight of the song!" He growled a bit upset, but he was more worried about Sean.

The black and white K-9 unit blew through another lonely red light and cut across the street to the gas station. The dog began to bark and pace in the cage when he spotted the other two. The officer quickly threw the unit in park and opened his door. It was a bit difficult for him to run out the car being six feet one and weighted down with a duty belt, but the skinny male maneuvered out. He quickly ran past the other patrol car and towards the middle of the almost empty gas station parking lot.

"SEAN!" He yelled out turning almost a whiter color than he was already. He looked frantically for his brother as his heart pounded in his chest.

"Johnny!" Sean's grunted voice and screams came from the other side the building.

JJ sprinted towards Sean's voice.

" SEAN?" JJ rounded the corner and saw Sean holding his nightstick like a baseball bat and a very, very drunk older man across from him.

"What in the hell?" JJ lifted a brow as he made his way closer towards the two. The old man had a huge beer gut and a long gray and white beard. His hair was crazed like he hadn't brushed it in a week and his clothes were stranded. The older man flung a can of beer at Sean, and Sean hit it with the nightstick.

"Hey! Hey!" Sean grunted as he yelled at the man.

"Sean.... What is going on?" JJ spoke in a stern but concerned voice.

Another can dropped out the box and the old man attempted to kick them with his white rubber boots. The can fizzed and slid by the pile of others.

"HA! can't do nothing in those Delcambre Reeboks!" Sean screamed making fun of his rubber boots. Delcambre Reeboks definition: a term used mainly in the Cajun part of south-central Louisiana, for white, rubber shoes often worn by Delcambre shrimpers.